I fully agree with your conclusion. At the time I started TW, I had no anti-virus, and I just wanted a way to see what changed on my machine. So many things have changed since then that there is no point in listing them here. However, Windows is still a system with many "moving parts", and some of us feel uncomfortable just watching the computer hum, so we add "more control" to try to feel better. In a few cases, I have been happy to get a warning from TW, and I have seen a few posts out there relating similar stories. Did it save the day and was it worth the trouble and the time wasted with all the other warnings that could be ignored? This is the kind of question each of us answers alone... Like when you wrote "our security" and "most other extra security programs", you seem to mention your current configuration, the one that makes you feel "safe enough" (unless I misunderstood you and you meant Windows-provided security). I also like to have TW around to limit the junk that installs itself in various places. There are also other programs doing this, and probably better. I tried to make the scanners as configurable as possible so others than me can use it as a generic monitoring tool. Not the best for security, but looking at what you want it to look at. And finally, the source code is now open and if someone wants to monitor more things, or do it better, the option is always out there. Last but not least, (sorry for the long post) I agree that a warning about the warning would be great. I could not see however where to put this warning in SourceForge so everyone would read it before downloading... I also read about other programs having identical issue with MS SmartScreen warning, but there is no easy solution (I am afraid). Some wrote this warning will stop after a certain number of downloads have been made... I tried to "report as safe" once, and it seems to succeed, but I get the same warning again (not surprisingly, I guess many more than one person must report as safe for it to be counted by SmartScreen). Besides, SourceForge uses mirror servers, and I am afraid each mirror-link needs to be separately considered "safe" by SmartScreen... Finally I tried submitting for malware analysis at Microsoft, this is pending on their side. Not sure how it will go knowing I am a nobody (= $0 profit account) for them... Thank you VM for trying TW and giving your great feedback!
Quick update: Microsoft answered my submission very fast: "We can confirm that the application tinywatcher.exe (sha256 – “91ACC378BCB34063EDD3E7AD894FA23219008B73C955C346D501A03169BFC09B”) has since established reputation and attempting to download or run the application should no longer show any warnings." They meant "tinywatcher-setup-2.0.9.exe" (I verified this is the correct SHA256)... but at least on my machine, I still see the "blocked download" UI. Maybe it will get better later, fingers crossed... [They also said that if the binary were signed this would not be needed, but getting an "EV Authenticode certificate" is not free so this will not happen unless another way comes around.]
im using win 10 still i cant see the file after installation there is only a log file in starting folder under tiny watcher....maybe HMPA is blocking it or idk.. edit: i found the installation folder now manually
@scip thank you for telling me about this issue. I am using my Win 10 machine in a limited way (gaming mostly) at the moment, so I am still unfamiliar with how Win 10 organizes/displays its Start Menu. I did snapshot image of my Start Menu here: https://a.fsdn.com/con/app/proj/tiny-watcher/screenshots/tiny-watcher-win10-start-menu.png/max/max/1 Does it look very different than what you see on your machine?
@scip thanks, I think re-installing over (no need to uninstall first) might create the links - unless your system blocks the creation of links... Which makes me think of something I should have asked : you do have admin access on your machine, don't you? (the links that you seem to miss are all 4 "admin links" - i.e. the installer sets the "Run as admin" flag on for these 4)
yes thx after thinking about admin rights, i remember that i use SimpleWindowsHardening which created this problem..after i turned it off i reinstalled TW and it completed the installation.
@kubicle- TW for 64Bit is splendid. Any chance you might have any insights or ambitions on another long lost friend in filechange alarm? @albjan introduced this application long ago also right here at Wilders Security. I still use it!! https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/file-change-alarm-beta-6.760/
FileChangeAlarm also, for a long ago project is an invaluable resource. Its a pinpoint "LIVE" tracker where you can watch on it's view screen exactly which Microsoft apps are doing what, how often (courtesy an audio feature) and the fact it TIMESTAMPS/DATES every file movement, change etc. One of only a handful of Windows 98 programs that sure has a useful place on the even the latest Windows
Yes...I remember it on my PC years ago. I always appreciated similar small monitoring apps like FCA or like Sven Faw's ExeWatch...abandoned also.